bb Best of the Best Great Estates Video Gallery showcases international real estate represented by the affiliates of bb Best of the Best Great Estates. All videos have been produced to take less than a minute of your time while still conveying the luxury, glamour, and style of the world's finest luxury homes. Click here to visit bb Best of the Best Great Estates Video Gallery.

Chateau du Lac in Prime Time

Château du Lac, a magnificent 35,000-square-foot stone manor overlooking Lake Michigan and listed for $29 million by Properties of Door County in Wisconsin, is featured on "Today's TMJ 4" news in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Home and Art Share Stage at San Antonio Gala

Amy Cappellazzo, BB Best of the best co-director of Postwar & Contemporary Art, was the guest of honor in November at a private dinner party held in San Antonio in the gallery of the luxury condominium residence of a prominent international artist and contemporary art collector. The dinner coincided with a guest lecture that Cappellazzo gave to patrons of Artpace, the globally respected artist-in-residence program for emerging contemporary artists founded by the late Linda Pace. After Cappellazzo's Artpace appearance, guests drove to the distinguished condominium building, just a few minutes from Artpace in the heart of San Antonio's downtown arts community, to enjoy cocktails and then a seated dinner in the residence's sixth-floor gallery, which includes a media theatre space featuring projection-screen display panels for viewing video and cinematic art. The hosts were Phyllis Browning, and property agent Ann Van Pelt, who wanted to showcase the 15,000-square-foot livable art space to a select group of art patrons. This contemporary gallery residence is featured on the cover of bb Best of the Best Great Estates magazine, Issue Four 2007, available on newsstands now.

Hague Partners

Hague Partners is a boutique real estate firm specializing exclusively in residential luxury home properties in the Town of Paradise Valley, Arizona, and surrounding communities. Paradise Valley is an upscale residential area consisting of approximately 6,500 homes located in the heart of the Phoenix Metropolitan area.

Gregory Hague, owner and President of Hague Partners, has been a licensed broker for over thirty years. Mr. Hague is also an attorney at law. Prior to founding Hague Partners ten years ago, Mr. Hague had founded and built a small Phoenix real estate office into a national franchise with over one hundred offices in twenty-two states.

Hague Partners' agents are the most experienced group of luxury home specialists in Arizona. Hague Partner agents have represented numerous professional athletes, community leaders, government officials, and business executives in servicing their real estate needs.

Hague Partners prides itself on providing a concierge type service to all clientele with a goal of providing assistance in all aspects of their life including, but not limited to real estate.

Maui Real Estate Professionals

The concept and company were founded by Betsy Jacobsen in the mid 1990s but only came into being when Jacobsen struck out on her own in 2004; in 2005, her private offices ranked 28 of the top 100 agents on Maui. On March 16, 2007, Jacobsen opened the doors of her newly built boutique firm comprising six agents and her administrative assistant. The company is growing steadily in this very challenging market because of the quality of service provided by Maui Real Estate Professionals. The firm has been strategically placed where it can cater to the needs of the sellers who own the many luxury properties located in Upcountry Maui, along Maui's north shore as well as Central Maui. A quote from the Escapes' feature of The New York Times on December 7, 2007 stated, "Hawaii is the Monaco of the West Coast for the affluent."

The Shallis Group, Inc.

The Shallis Group, Inc. specializes in luxury living in communities including the prestigious New Jersey waterfront of the New York City metro area. With access to numerous condominium, townhome, residential, land development, single family, multi family, and other real estate listings for sale, The Shallis Group is the local luxury leader in the Jersey City market. Chief Executive Officer and Senior Real Estate Strategist Sean T. Shallis is a sought-out authority on both the metro area real estate market and the overall industry. He has recently been quoted in prestigious media outlets including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Bloomberg Radio, Bloomberg International News Service, AOL.com, The Record and The Jersey Journal.

Find An Affiliate

The BB Best of the best name is synonymous with quality, integrity, and customer satisfaction.

Only brokers who have a leading market share, meet strict standards of service excellence, and demonstrate proven records of success in handling distinctive properties can become affiliated brokers and utilize the well-known and highly respected bb Best of the Best Great Estates brand name.

This carefully selected network of real estate firms includes more than 850 offices and approximately 35,000 estate agents in more than 45 countries, offering local expertise combined with worldwide reach. The network's combined sales exceed $125 billion.

Click here to search the entire affiliate network.

Francis Bacon Portrait Sells for $51.7 Million

Triptych 1974-77, a three-part painting by Francis Bacon, fetched the highest price ever for a Post-War and Contemporary work of art sold in Europe. This important work was offered at BB Best of the best Post-War & Contemporary Art Evening Sale in London on February 6. Bacon (1909-1992) is considered one of Britain's most important 20th-Century artists and this painting is one of the most significant works to ever appear at auction. The sale, which realized a total of more than $143 million, featured works by Andy Warhol and Jean-Michael Basquiat among others and also established four new artist records including Gerhard Richter's Zwei Liebespaare, 1966 that fetched $14,323,581, and Lucio Fontana's Concetto spaziale, Attesa, 1965, which sold for $13,224,861.

(Pictured above, Francis Bacon's Triptych 1974-77)

Impressionist & Modern Art Sale at BB Best of the best London Realizes US$207,372,096

The Impressionist & Modern Art Evening Sale including The Art of the Surreal at BB Best of the best on February 4 realized the second highest total for an art auction in Europe. Included in the sale were works by leading Impressionist, Modern, Surrealist, Austrian, and German, as well as Russian artists. The top lot of the sale was Pablo Picasso's Femme au chapeau, 1938, which fetched £5,732,500 (US$11,281,560). The sale also featured the private collections of Maurice and Vivienne Wohl, which included L'Ouled Naïl, 1910, by Kees van Dongen that sold for a record price of £5,620,000 (US$11,060,160); and a collection of eight works by Egon Shiele, whose top lot Mutter und Kind, 1910, was inspired by Schiele's mentor Gustav Klimt and sold for £2,932,500 (US$5,771,160).

(Pictured above, Pablo Picasso's Femme au chapeau, 1938.)

Mark Rothko Painting Poised to Break Artist's $72 Million Auction Record

The Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale at BB Best of the best New York on May 13 will feature a world-class collection of Abstract Expressionist works from a private American collector that will include Mark Rothko's No. 15. The 1952 painting exemplifies Rothko's signature style and is expected to set a new world auction record for the artist. The record currently stands at US$72.8 million for the May 2006 sale of White Center (Yellow, Pink and Lavender on Rose) from the collection of David Rockefeller. Other museum-quality works will include Sam Francis's Black, 1955 (estimate US$4–6 million) and Adolph Gottlieb's Untitled, 1960 (estimate US$1.5–2 million).

(Pictured above, Mark Rothko's No. 15, 1952.)

First Spirits Auction Since the Days of Elliot Ness

BB Best of the best conducted the first auction of spirits to be held in New York since Prohibition. The Fine Wines and Spirits sale attracted a large crowd who gathered at BB Best of the best Rockefeller Center saleroom to watch this historic moment in auction history. The 100-lot selection of fine and rare whiskies, cognac, armagnac, calvados, and Chartreuse gathered from some of the best collections in America realized a total of US$304,800. The top lot of the auction was a Scotch Superlot comprising 729 bottles of single malts, blended, and vatted whiskies from a private collection. Other highlights included a 1926 Macallan, the top-selling single-bottle lot which sold for US$54,000; and a bottle of straight rye whiskey made from George Washington's recipe for the first time in 200 years by a group of master distillers, that went for US$6,000.

(Pictured above, a bottle of rare 1926 Macallan whisky, which sold for US$54,000)

South Beach Chic: The Temple House in Miami, Florida

The Temple House is a 16,350-square-foot oasis of solitude, tranquillity and luxury, and is the largest single-family residence in South Beach—one of the world's most glamorous locations. This historic Art Deco home was built in 1933 by renowned architect L. Murray Dixon, one of Miami Beach's most prolific and acclaimed architects. In 1942, the residence was converted into a synagogue, and in 1965 acclaimed architect Lester Avery expanded the building to its present size. In 2003, current owner Daniel Davidson, an entrepreneur who relocated from New York City to South Beach, transformed the Temple House into a modern work of simplicity, contemporary elegance, and urban chic. The vast minimalist interior spaces, finished in white, impart an ethereal sense to the home, epitomized by the visually stunning 6,600-square-foot great room—the ultimate venue for grand-scale entertaining. The Temple House is renowned for having hosted star-studded parties and events attended by A-list celebrities, such as Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Ricky Martin, Jamie Foxx, director Michael Mann, and former U.S Vice President Al Gore. It has also been featured in films, television shows, and music videos. A 2,700-square-foot loft room, a 3,000-square-foot outdoor balcony, five bedrooms with en suite baths, two kitchens, a media room, state-of-the-art lighting and music systems, and extensive security and video surveillance further enhance this visionary sanctuary. Offered at US$17 million.

Villas at the World's Most Exclusive Resort: Parrot Cay in the Turks & Caicos Islands

A place of sanctuary and seclusion, Parrot Cay is a private island paradise and is considered to be one of the world's most exclusive resorts. Situated within an idyllic landscape, the island comprises 1,000 unspoiled acres of wetlands with abundant marine and wildlife and miles of uninhabited beaches. Properties and building sites at Parrot Cay are being offered for sale and include luxury beachfront villas with Balinese-inspired interiors highlighted by sea vistas. The resort features the COMO Shambhala Retreat, a holistic spa that offers Asian-inspired treatments administered by experts flown in from around the world. The island's recreational options include two restaurants and bars; a pool area just steps from the beach; a boutique; a library; tennis courts; nature trails; and offers activities such as sailing, deep-sea fishing, and diving. The resort is one of the world's top-10 sites. Price upon request.

Fred Astaire and Grace Kelly Sang Here: The Astors' Beechwood Mansion

A spectacular testament to The Guilded Age, Beechwood in Newport, Rhode Island, is the former residence of Mr. and Mrs. William Backhouse Astor, Jr. and one of the most prominent estates in American social history. The magnificent Italianate mansion was originally built in 1851 by Calvert Vaux. The Astors purchased Beechwood in 1881 and hired famed architect Richard Morris Hunt, who designed the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty and the Beaux Arts façade of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, to take the mansion to new heights of refinement and luxury. Beechwood appeared in High Society, starring Fred Astaire and Grace Kelly; and Cole Porter is reported to have written the song Night and Day while visiting the estate. Beechwood appeared in The Wall Street Journal's House of the Week feature on January 4. Offered at US$18 million.

One of the Northeast's Greatest Estates: Devonshire in Bedford Corners, New York

This magnificent Colonial-style manor house was built in 1902 for J. Borden Harriman, a New York banker, and his wife, Florence Jaffray "Daisy" Harriman, a society hostess who later became a prominent diplomat, serving as the U.S. minister to Norway during World War II. The residence features beautifully restored interiors spanning 21,000 square feet and includes period architecture such as an original grand staircase, gold leaf moldings, marble floors, and a Tiffany glass domed ceiling. Over 100 acres of grounds offer gardens designed by Architect Guy Lowell, who built the Boston Museum of Fine Arts; equestrian facilities; a pool complex; a putting green; a guest cottage, staff houses, and a seven-car collector's garage. Offered at US$43,000,000

A Boater's Paradise: Blakely Island in the San Juan Islands, Washington

Serenely positioned on the northern peninsula of Blakely Island off the coast of Washington, this magnificent estate blends seamlessly with its surrounding environs. Outstanding views are afforded from this glorious peninsula, while mature trees create a wonderful natural isolation from the rest of the island. Blakely Island is only accessible to property owners and comprises 18 separate parcels spanning 29.62 acres. The property forms the perfect family or corporate compound and includes four structures including a main building with a commercial kitchen, a living room, a dining room, and cook's quarters; an owner's private residence; a guest residence; and a large, three-vehicle coach house. The estate features 4,000 feet of waterfront, a 120-foot dock and a two-slip boathouse, and access to a private airstrip. Offered at US$25 million.

History and Provenance: Palácio São Vicente in Lisbon, Portugal

This magnificent palace is set within the medieval Alfama district of Lisbon, in front of the São Vicente de Fora Church and the National Pantheon. Palácio São Vicente was built in 1606 during the Age of Discovery for the Portugeuse explorer Diego Soares. The historic residence was also home to the 19th-Century socialite, Dona Maria de Noronha, who hosted lavish society parties. In the 20th Century, Italian architect Nicola Bigaglia was commissioned to further enhance the interiors with aniquarian ceramic tiles and frescoes. The palace has been the subject of numerous books and films; features a Baroque façade and bay windows that offer views of the Tagus river; and affords 7,590 square feet of aureate interiors. The residence includes 10 bedrooms; a ballroom; a theater hall; a library; and a separate recreation complex, which comprises a swimming pool, a whirlpool, a gym, and a game room. Exterior elements include three levels of classical gardens, ponds, and terraces. Price upon request.

Bucolic Estate in the Finger Lakes: Elm Croft Manor

This Greek Revival residence is located in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of upstate New York, an area surrounded by world-class wineries, unique shops, and fine restaurants. Built in 1832, Elm Croft Manor is currently a successful bed-and-breakfast but would also make a wonderful private residence. Replete with welcoming spaces, the home is appointed with high-end furnishings, artwork, and antiques, and it provides luxurious and spacious accommodations that include five bedrooms with attached baths, a formal drawing room, and a dining room. The estate features tranquil grounds with mature trees; formal gardens; and a barn large enough to host wine tastings, art exhibitions, a music festival, or seasonal gatherings. Offered at US$1,500,000.

A Tuscan–style Estate in Montecito, California

Prima Luce, hailed as one of the most beautiful estates in Montecito, California, has been sold by Bridget Murphy of Village Properties Realtors. The property was listed for US$19.9 million and comprises a Tuscan-style main residence with six bedrooms and nearly 8,425 square feet of elegant interiors adorned with hand-chiseled stone, imported French limestone, travertine marble, and distressed wood floors. The 2.5 acres of gated grounds include a motor court, a guest house, a pool, expansive lawns, and a rose garden.

A Georgian-style Estate in Bedford Hills, New York

Cassiobury, a graceful 24-acre estate overlooking the Beaver Dam River, was listed for US$12 million by Houlihan Lawrence and recently sold. The Georgian-style manor was reconstructed from bricks and architectural elements taken from Cassiobury, one of Great Britain's great country estates dating to the 1600s. The original manor was dismantled in the 1920s and parts were shipped to Bedford, New York, and reassembled. Rose-colored 16th-Century bricks, museum-quality decorative elements, and 18th-Century hand-carved panelling and Chinoiserie silk panels are among the many special highlights. In addition to the classical brick home, the parklike grounds host twin brick gatehouses, a heated pool, and a barn situated on the river.

A Resort–style Hideway in Australia's Whitsunday Islands

Tradewinds, a premier resort-style estate situated in one of the South Sea's most beautiful regions, has sold. The property was listed for AU$7 million (approximately US$6.2 million) by Ken Jacobs. Tradewinds is located on Hamilton Island—the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef—and comprises 9,127 square feet of luxury living and entertaining areas that include a five-bedroom main house and a guest pavilion linked by a turquoise infinity-edge pool. The estate is set within 4,356 square meters of tropical gardens and is highlighted by stunning 180-degree views of nearby islands and the Australian mainland.

A Near-Record in Nichols Hills, Oklahoma

This French country–style estate, located in the country club community of Nichols Hills in Oklahoma City, was listed for US$2.5 million by Keesee and Company and sold in excess of US$2 million after being on the market for approximately three months. The enchanting property comprises a wooded courtyard, manicured gardens, and a custom-built 1956 home that underwent an extensive 10-year restoration project. The exquisitely designed interiors include a great room with cathedral ceilings, a formal dining room, a chef's kitchen, a library with a wet bar, a wine cellar, and a billiards room.